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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. O. DAVIS. GRIP SLOT CLOSER FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

Patented May 21, 1889 widcmwow amw u'co r/ Charles l7avi$ 3&1 3113/ imme/1 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. O. DAVIS. GRIP SLOT CLOSER FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

Patented May 21, 1889.

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. UNITED STATE ATENT O I E,

CAROLINE MARDER AND CON XV. MARLIN, OF SAME PLACE.-

GRIP-SLOT CLOSER FOR C ABLE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,651, dated May 21, 1889.

Application filed March 23, 1889. Serial No. 304,392. (No'modeL) To aZZ 1071 0127, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES DAVIS, of Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grip-Slot Closers for Cable Railways, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention pertains to certain improvements in cable railways, more especially in means to close the cable-slot; and it consists of the combination of parts and their novel construction, as will more fully appear from the following description and accompanying illustration, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of parts illustrating a cable-railway slot having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed perspective view of one of the slotcap springs and its seat. Fig. 3 is a detailed end view of the cap, and Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken through Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of my invention I employ a cap or plate, D, which is more especially used to cover or close the slot F at street-crossings; but of course it may be applied along the entire track or length of the slot. The slot F, to the particular construction of which no claim is made, may be formed of the properly assembled or arranged side step-shaped beveled pieces, E E. The cap or plate D has chamfered or curved inner corner edges, as at 70, to permit of the ready contact of the gripshanks therewith, and so as to move it sidewise from. over the slot upon the approach of the car and to permit of the passage of the latter.

The upper surface of the cap or plate D may be rounded or beveled off along the side edges to avoid the accidental abrupt contact of horses feet therewith, which might result in the displacement or knocking of the plate or cap from its place over the slot.

Thecap or plate is preferably in sections of two to twelve feet in length, and may be of iron or steel. Each of the plate or cap sections is provided at one of its side edges with two arms, f f, one arranged near each end, and directly in the plane of each arm f there depends from the under side of said arm a lug, h, which has also an arm or projection, g, connecting or formed therewith at oneside near its lower end. Each arm f rests upon ablock or seat, B, bolted, as at a a, to the outer side of one of the side pieces, E, of the slot F. The seats or blocks B are provided with chambers or sockets h, in which are placed springs e, the sockets or chambers h being diametrically contracted or reduced beyond the outer ends of said springs, as seen at b.

The pendants or lugs h, it will be seen, depend in the sockets or chambers h of the blocks or seats B and their arms g enter the springs e e, and upon compression of said springs, as is the case when the grip-shanks have contact with the cap or plate sections, are projected into the contractions b of the said chambers. It will thus be observed that upon the escape of the grip-shank from each plate or cap section the latter will be automatically returned to its former position, again covering the slot, and be thus retained until similarly acted upon.

The cap or plate sections have particularly for their object to prevent the knocking of dirt or the falling thereof from the wheels, &c., of passing vehicles into' the slots, as Well as to prevent the accidental catching of the horses feet in said slot at the street-crossings and elsewhere along the track.

0 is a holding plate or chair having a rightangled cross-section, the vertical portion of which is bolted to the outer side of one of the side pieces, E, as at d,while immediately above the portion or surface having contact with said side piece it is provided with a lateral recess, (1, which provides for the reception of the plate or cap section as it is moved outward. The horizontal portion of the plate 0 overhangs or rests upon the plate or cap section and holds it down in position upon the side pieces, E. Instead of occupying its present position, the chair 0 may be formed integral with the cap or plate sections where are now provided the arms f, thus dispensing with the latter, as is apparent. This cap or plate, it will also be observed, prevents the Wheels of vehicles accidentally dropping into the slots of the track, which has heretofore occurred, and from which the wheels have been me considerably damaged.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The cap or plate covering the cable-track slot and having at one of its side edges arms resting upon blocks or seats, said arms having pendants, also provided with arms, in combination with springs placed in said seatsor blocks, substantially as setforth.

2. The cap or plate covering the cable-track slot and having a lateral movement, in combination with the chair bolted or secured at one side of the slotand having its horizontal portion resting upon said plate or cap, and having a horizontal or lateral recess providing for the reception of said plate or cap as it i; moved laterally, substantially as set ort l In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES DAVIS.

Witnesses:

F. G. FISCHER, A. A. I-IIGDON. 

